Developed by one of the biggest computer distribution companies in the Czech Republic, "The Legend" or "Legenda" comes to prove that Strategy/RPG games are very much alive. The game looks really cool, although it doesn't bring new innovations to RPG world. Is it recommended? Well, I think it's worth buying. But for further information here is an interview with developers from DXT ComputerS. Enjoy!!!

Hello, please introduce yourself and the company you work for to our readers. Tell us about past works and games.

We are Jan Mrkvička and Martin Ladýř. Our team has originated from a group of enthusiasts about two years ago. We have already made a freeware game „The King’s Legacy“, later its on-line mutation „Against Everybody“. Now we have been working on an RPG strategy from the environment of fantasy „The Legend“.

Every game must have a plot or a story it's built on. Tell us about this game's plot and the story behind it. Will the player be able to set the course of events?

The story is one of the most important element of the game for us. And so „The Legend“ tells about an encounter of 4 races (humans, barbarians, dwarfs and elves). Each of the races has its own specific sort of inventions / magic. And from that the story comes out. While in one episode humans need to exploit wood and are forced to cut in forests of elves, in another episode the player plays as an elf himself and tries to avert human threat and destruction of his own land. Each race also has its own desktop, fonts, strategy etc.

The screenshots of "The Legend" remind me somehow of Warcraft 3, and other strategy games. Please compare these two games mentioning the advantages and disadvantages.

We admit that we have been inspired by Warcraft 3, neverthless we try to go to the bottom of RPG. For example the player has got several heroes who have to survive, but he also can hire other heroes whose features he can improve. And he can improve not only such features as attack, lifes, speed, etc.. stats, but can learn also magics and even gain abilities to convert machines, take buildings, etc.

Tell us about the game maps. How many are there going to be, and where will the action take place?

The game is divided into 6 episodes, each of them has about 5 maps. Maps consist of missions which take place in interiors (mines, palaces, prisons, etc.) and exteriors (forests, swamps, mountains, oceans, deserts, snowed fields, etc.)

What graphics engine did you use in the development process? Did you use it before? Tell us about its performances.

We use our own engine. It is in fact rendering of 2D textures while using 3D effects. We also use Z-buffer to make buildings transparent in case they cover the unit. Engine arranges picturing of objects, avoiding of obstacles, collision of missiles (e.g. a missile from the catapult can hit an airship) and other improvements.

What resources will the player have to "collect"?

The basic resource, common for all races, is gold. The other resource, however, is different for each of races. Barbarians carry bones of dragons, humans cut trees, dwarfs mine ore and elves pick herbs and spices in their forests. So it may happen that one race has resources of material which is worthless for that race and the material which is necessary is near the enemies and vice versa.

Are there going to be missions and submissions to accomplish? Are they related to each other, so one continues the other? Or, every mission stands for its self as an independent plot? Give us an example of one mission.

Missions and episodes are related to each other. While in the first map the player will set free slaves with the help of his barbarian hero, in the other map the player starts to revenge his former slavemaster and it the end the hero learns dark magic and calls for demons against humans.

What weapons and vehicles are available in the game? How will the armies move? And are there going to be various types of ships for water trips? Give us an example of a "must be mentioned" weapon and a vehicle.

We pride ourselves on proposing own units. At the beginning the player can (e.g. in human race) use only a soldier in leather kit armed with his sword or crossbow. Later on, when a forge is built, he can use other weapons (foil, halberd, two-handed sword, shield, scaly armour, sheet armour, etc.) When a castle is built, the player can construct any soldier from discovered and developed weapons. Of course, each of races has got different weapons and different using of them. Not even catapults are missing, furthermore there are air units, such as angels, demons and dragons. Dwarfs have howitzers and airships. It is possible to meet even naval units.

Is the computer opponent smart enough to set a challenge for strategy players?

Independent computer intelligence is in process of development in the meantime. We bet also on proposed maps of high quality and supporting story.

Is "The Legend" playable on-line?

.Final version will support online games.

How many versions are going to be released? How many languages? And how will each version differ than the others?

Main language of „The Legend“ is of course Czech. We also count on English and German versions but it depends on a foreign publisher, for whom we are looking now, you know. The same it is with other versions as Russian, Polish, French, etc.. If any publisher is reading this and is interested in this game, please contact martin.ladyr@dxt.cz.

What are the minimum requirements of hardware and software needed to run this game without any problem? What do you recommend for "professional" gamers who want to play the game in all its glory?

For how long were you working on the game? How much progress are you making?

We have been working on „The Legend“ since August 2000. In May 2002 we have remade engine completely and the style of the game, too. We worked before May 2002 on game as freeware and since May we have been working as a full-time job for big Czech computer distribution company DXT ComputerS. So from that period we have had practically no free time for anything else. Our hobby has become our work. Even though we have been spending more than 10 hours a day over „The Legend“ (sometimes even weekends) we do not want to hasten the process of developing.

What is the official site for the game?

The site is http://www.legenda.cz , it is in Czech and English languages and we also prepare a German version.

Would you like to add anything else?

Thank you for your interest. Hoping, that your readers would like this game. And we wish (I’m sure with many of your other fans) you were still as good of a game server as now. We read you daily.